Record Details
| MonUID: | MST182 |
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| HER Number: | 00182 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Blithewood Moated Site, Checkley |
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Summary
The scheduled remains of a medieval moat, partially excavated in the mid 19th century.
Monument Type(s):
- MOAT (Norman to Tudor - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Associated Finds:
- MAIL ARMOUR (Anglo Saxon to Norman - 1001 AD? to 1100 AD?)
- SLIPPER (Norman to Tudor - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
Associated Events:
- EST1212 - A survey of moated sites in Staffordshire.
- EST263 - A site visit by the Inspector of Ancient Monuments (1968).
Protected Status:
- Scheduled Monument 1011883: Blithewood moated site
Full description
MOATED SITE: RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE 45.7M SQUARE FORMED BY A WET DITCH 4.9M WIDE AND 2.4M DEEP. THERE IS THEN A 14M WIDE FLAT TOPPED BANK AND A SECOND DITCH 2M DEEP AND 3.6M WIDE. THERE IS A THIRD DITCH ON THE E SIDE. ON THE E THE BANK BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND DITCHES IS 18M WIDE. A FINE AND SOPHISTICATED SITE. <1>
LARGELY UNDISTURBED SAVE FOR SMALL EXCAVATION IN 1846 WHICH FOUND CHAIN ARMOUR AND MEDIEVAL LEATHER SHOES.
Eleventh century relics found in Blithewood Moat circa 1856: steel chain armour, shoes with long points and "chain armour in gold" with representation of snake's head on the rivetted links (DAL 06/05/2010) <2>
A rectangular, dry, three sets of intrenchments on the east side and two sets on the others. Overall measurements 380ft by 440ft (DAL 06/05/2010) <3>.
Blithewood Moat is an excellent example of a double moat with a third ditch on one of its sides. A short length of chain and a silk slipper have been found there (DAL 06/05/2010) <4>.
A well-preserved homestead moat, as shown on the OS 6" and described by Authy 3. The moat has been constructed into a south eastern slope and the earthworks on the uphill, western, side are larger than those down hill. The eastern half of the earthworks is wet. The ditches average 11m wide and 2.4m deep on the west and 9m wide and 1.8m deep on the east. The area enclosed by the innermost ditches and the strips of ground between the ditches are raised about 1m above the general level. There are traces of a spread bank on the outside of the south and east sides of the moat. Other than a few fragments of indeterminate stone, no trace of the building is visible. The moat is under grass in a pasture (DAL 06/05/2010) <5>.
Sources and further reading
| --- | SST1679 - Aerial Photograph: English Heritage (National Monuments Record). c.2000. English Heritage - National Monuments Record Air Photos Library. Black and White. Oblique. SJ 9936/ 2-3 (NMR-AP Accession Number: 17498 Frame Numbers 48-49 (17-Jul-2000). |
| --- | SST2865 - Survey Archive: R. A. Meeson (Staffordshire County Council). 1983-1986. Staffordshire Moated Site Survey (Survey Notes). |
| <1> | SST3723 - Designation Record: Department for Culture Media and Sport / English Heritage. Ongoing-2016. Scheduled Monument Designation Documents, Scheduled Monument Consents and Section 17 Management Agreements. AM 7 (O.E. Craster - 1968). |
| <2> | SST390 - Index: Ordnance Survey. See cards. Ordnance Survey Card Index. SJ 93 NE - 5 ('A History of Uttoxeter' 1886, page 87 (by F. Redfern)). |
| <3> | SST3636 - Published Book: The Victoria History of the Counties of England. 1908. (VCH volume 1) A History of the County of Stafford, Volume I. Page 360. |
| <4> | SST390 - Index: Ordnance Survey. See cards. Ordnance Survey Card Index. SJ 93 NE - 5 (T.N.S.F.C. Volume 48 -(1913-1914) pages 197-198 (by C. Lynam)). |
| <5> | SST390 - Index: Ordnance Survey. See cards. Ordnance Survey Card Index. SJ 93 NE - 5 (W. Woodhouse - Ordnance Survey Field Inspector - 13-Dec-1957). |
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